Part XIX.
Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
Chapter 725.
General Licensing Procedures
Subchapter JJJ. Court-ordered Social Studies
40 TAC §§725.6050-725.6052
The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
(TDPRS) adopts amendments to §§725.6050-725.6052 in its General
Licensing Procedures chapter. The amendment to §725.6050 is adopted with
a change to the proposed text published in the March 12, 1999, issue of the
The justification for the amendments is to clarify the qualifications for
performing court-ordered social studies and update TDPRS's policies on performing
court-ordered social studies.
The amendments will function by ensuring that individuals who conduct court-ordered
social studies as part of their child placing activities meet the required
qualifications.
No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendments. TDPRS is
adopting the definition of human services field in §725.6050(4) with
a change for clarification.
The amendments are adopted under the Human Resources Code (HRC),
Title 2, Chapter 42, which authorizes the department to administer general
child-placing and child care licensing programs.
The amendments implement the Human Resources Code, §§42.001-
42.077.
§725.6050.Definitions.
The following terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following
meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
(1)
Appropriate professional field - a human services field,
regulated under state statutes, that has a licensing/certifying entity able
and willing to:
(A)
maintain an up-to-date register of licensed/certified individuals
who meet minimum qualifications and are available to conduct court-ordered
social studies.
(B)
investigate any complaints against persons whose activities
are regulated by the licensing/certifying entity in regard to the conduct
of social studies in a timely manner that meets department requirements.
(C)
take appropriate action on the licensing/certification
of the individual against whom a complaint has been made, based on the findings
of complaint investigations.
(2)
Appropriate professional organization - an organization
of professionals in a human services field, not regulated under state statutes,
requiring licensure/certification and able and willing to:
(A)
maintain an up-to-date register of organization members
who meet minimum qualifications and are available to conduct court-ordered
social studies.
(B)
investigate any complaints against members in regard to
the conduct of social studies in a timely manner that meets department requirements.
(C)
take appropriate action on the organization membership
of the individual against whom a complaint has been made, based on the findings
of complaint investigations.
(3)
Full-time experience - at least 30 hours per
week. Part-time experience is counted as a percentage of full-time experience.
(4)
Human services field - a field of study designed to
prepare an individual in the disciplined application of social work values,
principals, and methods.
This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been
reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's
legal authority.
Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on April
30, 1999.
TRD-9902573
C. Ed Davis
Deputy Director, Legal Services
Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services
Effective date: June 1, 1999
Proposal publication date: March 12, 1999
For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765
Subchapter L. Contract Administration
Chapter 732.
Contracted Services